5 Best NFL Running Backs of All-Time

Ranking the best running backs of all time requires a balance between raw production, championships, and impact on the game. Running backs have defined eras of the NFL with their versatility, explosiveness, and ability to carry offenses. 

To determine the top five RBs ever, we weighed rushing yards, touchdowns, yards per carry, MVP awards, championships, and overall influence on the position.

1. Jim Brown

• Career: 1957 to 1965 (Cleveland Browns)
• Career Stats: 12,312 rushing yards, 106 rushing touchdowns, 5.2 yards per carry
• Accolades: 3× NFL MVP, 8× First-Team All-Pro, NFL Champion (1964)

Jim Brown is widely regarded as the most dominant running back in NFL history. He led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons and retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. 

Brown’s 5.2 yards per carry average remains one of the highest in history for a running back with significant volume. Brown’s combination of power, speed, and vision made him virtually unstoppable in his era.

The craziest aspect of his legend? Brown retired in his physical prime at age 29, still dominating the league. His final season saw him pile on 1,544 rushing yards with 20 total scores and a still efficient 5.3 yards per carry average.

2. Walter Payton

• Career: 1975 to 1987 (Chicago Bears)
• Career Stats: 16,726 rushing yards, 110 rushing touchdowns, 21,803 total scrimmage yards
• Accolades: NFL MVP (1977), Super Bowl Champion (1985), 5× First-Team All-Pro

Walter “Sweetness” Payton was arguably the most complete back in league history. He ran with power, had elite balance, caught passes out of the backfield, and could even throw the ball effectively. 

In 13 seasons, he compiled nearly 17,000 rushing yards and 110 rushing scores, while adding 4,538 yards and 15 touchdowns through the air. His dynamic play helped his Chicago Bears win the franchise’s only Lombardi Trophy in 1985, while he secured some individual hardware with an MVP win in 1977.

Payton retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage, while his rushing touchdown record stood until Emmitt Smith broke it in 2002. His toughness was legendary, never shying away from contact despite being only 5’10” and 200 pounds.

3. Barry Sanders

• Career: 1989 to 1998 (Detroit Lions)
  
• Career Stats: 15,269 rushing yards, 99 rushing touchdowns, 5.0 yards per carry
  
• Accolades: NFL MVP (1997), 6× First-Team All-Pro, 10× Pro Bowler

Barry Sanders was the most electrifying runner the league has ever seen. Known for his unparalleled agility and ability to turn sure losses into long gains, Sanders was a human highlight reel that put up impressive stats throughout a prolific career.

While Sanders’ elite talent never equated to much success for a struggling Detroit Lions franchise, he stayed loyal to his team and still helped them reach the playoffs five different times – advancing to the NFC title game in 1991.

Sanders was also known for his consistency and longevity, as he produced 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before retiring at the peak of his career; a feat matched by only two other running backs in NFL history.

He also rushed for over 2,000 yards in 1997, one of the finest individual seasons in league history. That achievement has been accomplished by just eight other running backs, while his stellar 1997 campaign also resulted in a co-MVP win with Brett Favre.

Much like Jim Brown, Barry Sanders ended his career with a “what if?”, retiring at the top of his game at age 30, coming off a productive season where he ran for 1,491 yards.

4. Emmitt Smith

• Career: 1990 to 2004 (Cowboys, Cardinals)
• Career Stats: 18,355 rushing yards, 164 rushing touchdowns (both all-time records)
• Accolades: 3× Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, NFL MVP (1993)

Emmitt Smith is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and touchdown scorer among running backs. While not the most physically gifted back, Smith’s vision, durability, and ability to produce consistently made him the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ dynasty in the 1990s. 

His playoff performances, including a legendary game against the Giants in 1993 with a separated shoulder, solidified his reputation as one of the best ever. Smith put the Dallas Cowboys on his back throughout his career and was without a doubt the driving force behind three Super Bowl wins for the franchise.

While Smith didn’t finish his career with the Cowboys, he was still effective until late in his career, displaying stellar longevity and putting up a 937-yard and 9-score season in his final season at age 35.

Smith retired as one of the most accomplished backs in league history, having secured four rushing titles, an MVP award, and three Super Bowl rings.

Of course, no NFL dynasty is built on rushing alone — elite quarterbacks play a massive role too. For comparison, check out our ranking of the best quarterbacks of all time to see how legends under center stack up against these running backs.

5. LaDainian Tomlinson

• Career: 2001 to 2011 (Chargers, Jets)
• Career Stats: 13,684 rushing yards, 145 rushing touchdowns, 162 total touchdowns
• Accolades: NFL MVP (2006), 3× First-Team All-Pro, 5× Pro Bowler

LaDainian Tomlinson combined speed, power, and versatility in a way that defined modern running backs. His 2006 MVP season—1,815 rushing yards and an NFL-record 31 touchdowns—remains one of the most dominant campaigns in NFL history. 

Tomlinson was equally effective as a receiver, finishing with over 4,700 receiving yards in his career. In fact, his 2003 season saw him become the first running back to ever catch 100 passes and rush for over 1,000+ yards in the same season.

His stellar play and dynamic ability made him a brutal mismatch for opposing defenses and helped his San Diego Chargers routinely make a push for the playoffs.

While Tomlinson didn’t enjoy much high-level team success, he did reach five Pro Bowls, he won the 2006 MVP award, and he appeared in two AFC title games.

Honorable Mentions

• Eric Dickerson – NFL single-season rushing record holder (2,105 yards in 1984)
• Marshall Faulk – 1999 MVP and centerpiece of the “Greatest Show on Turf”
• Adrian Peterson – 2012 MVP with 2,097 rushing yards, 4th all-time in rushing yards
• O.J. Simpson – First player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season (1973)

Eric Dickerson is best known for his brilliant 1984 season, with his 2,105 rushing yards still standing in as one of the NFL’s most unbreakable records.

Marshall Faulk was much like LaDainian Tomlinson when it came to his impact as a receiver. He did put up the same eye-popping numbers LT did, but his play did help the Rams win a Super Bowl.

O.J. Simpson is known for negative things off the football field, but he’s also known as the league’s first 2,000+ yard rusher, and he did that in just 14 games. Adrian Peterson may crack the top five NFL running backs list before long, as he packaged explosive play, MVP-level production, and is one of the nine RBs ever to eclipse 2,000 yards in a season.

Defining Running Back Greatness

The best running backs of all time showcase a blend of dominance, consistency, and versatility. 

Brown set the standard for power backs, Payton and Smith embodied durability, Sanders electrified fans with unmatched agility, and Tomlinson brought modern versatility to the position. 

Greatness at running back is defined not just by yards gained, but by the ability to take over games and elevate entire offenses — something every bettor should remember when checking out football betting odds each season.